More selective than 0% of Ohio colleges we cover.
College Scorecard, Fall 2024 entering class
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $21,929. College Scorecard.
Higher than 17% of Ohio colleges we cover and 7% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median 54%.
Within 6 years · College Scorecard
Higher than 2% of Ohio colleges we cover and 3% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median $53,263.
Median, 10 years after starting · College Scorecard
Central State University acceptance rate & admissions
Of 3,291 applicants, Central State University admitted 1,514 and 574 enrolled (IPEDS, Fall 2023 entering class).
IPEDS Admissions, Fall 2023 entering class
Test scores: College Scorecard, Fall 2024. Other figures: College Scorecard; IPEDS
Central State University tuition, cost & net price
What families actually pay per year, by income
Average net price after grants and scholarships for Ohio residents who receive federal aid. Tap your income band.
College Scorecard, latest reported year (in-state, federal aid recipients)
Sticker price (before aid)
IPEDS 2023-24 cost items; total from College Scorecard
College Scorecard; Urban Institute Education Data Portal
State aid: Ohio residents with household income up to $96,000 and a Student Aid Index of 3,750 or less may receive an Ohio College Opportunity Grant: up to $4,000 a year at public university main campuses (less at regional campuses) in 2026-27. Not included in the prices above. Ohio Department of Higher Education, OCOG 2026-27 award memo (FA27-001)
What Central State University costs to finish, and how fast it pays back
Graduates of Central State University took 4.6 years on average to finish, so the yearly price adds up to the total below. Payback compares former students' earnings with what high school graduates earn in Ohio. The figures follow your residency and income choices above.
| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0–30k | $19,581 | $90,073 | no earnings gain |
| $30–48k | $7,161 | $32,941 | no earnings gain |
| $48–75k | $8,773 | $40,356 | no earnings gain |
| $75–110k | $10,343 | $47,578 | no earnings gain |
| $110k+ | $10,187 | $46,860 | no earnings gain |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.6 years, the average time graduates took (14% finished in 4 years; students who entered fall 2017, IPEDS). Years to pay back = cost to finish ÷ the earnings gain: median earnings of former students 10 years after starting ($33,267) minus $35,438 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in OH (Census ACS 2020-2024). Before taxes, loan interest and earnings given up while in school. Method
College Scorecard (net price, earnings); IPEDS Graduation Rates (time to finish); U.S. Census Bureau ACS (high school earnings). Calculated by EducationGuide.
Central State University majors, earnings & careers
Central State University offers 29 bachelor's majors across 10 areas. Earnings below are for this school's graduates of each major, four years after finishing.
- Social Sciences & Public Service · 6
- Education · 4
- Engineering · 4
- Humanities & Languages · 4
- Science & Math · 4
- Arts & Design · 2
- Business & Finance · 2
- Communications & Media · 1
- Health & Medicine · 1
- Technology & Computing · 1
Highest-earning majors at Central State University
| Major | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|
| Social Work | $47,853 | $31,000 |
| Criminal Justice | $46,914 | $31,000 |
| Business | $44,662 | $31,569 |
| Psychology | $39,628 | $31,485 |
| Journalism | $36,311 | $32,125 |
Quick list of all 29 majors
- Accounting—
- Agricultural Production Operations—
- Biology—
- Business$44,662
- Chemistry—
- Civil Engineering—
- Computer Science—
- Criminal Justice$46,914
- Education—
- Education (Elementary / Secondary)—
- Education (Subject Teaching)—
- English—
- English Language and Literature / Letters, Other—
- Environmental Engineering—
- History—
- Industrial Production Technologies / Technicians—
- Interdisciplinary Studies—
- Journalism$36,311
- Kinesiology / Exercise Science—
- Manufacturing Engineering—
- Mathematics—
- Music—
- Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies—
- Political Science—
- Psychology$39,628
- Social Work$47,853
- Sociology—
- Special Education—
- Studio Art—
— means too few graduates to report earnings.
College Scorecard field of study, latest release
All majors by area with earnings 1 and 4 years out, and debt →Business → Management analyst
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 10.1% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Journalism → Reporter / journalist
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to shrink 5.9% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Living in Dayton
Overall prices in the Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH area.
BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
2 bedrooms $1,248. Housing costs 27% below the U.S. average.
HUD Fair Market Rent, FY2027
January and July average highs. 43 inches of rain a year, 20 inches of snow.
NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020
No hazard rated high.
FEMA National Risk Index, Greene County
Campus & students
IPEDS fall enrollment; Carnegie Classification; EADA via Urban Institute
Greene County at a glance
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year 2024
Compare Central State University with similar schools
Similar public colleges in Ohio by selectivity, graduation rate and size. Tap “Why?” to see where the price difference comes from.
| School | Acceptance | You'd pay | Graduation | Earnings, 10 yrs | Price gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Central State University | 99% | $13,096 | 23% | $33,267 | This school |
| University of Cincinnati-Clermont College | — | $13,803 | 24% | $54,810 | |
| Wright State University | 96% | $15,415 | 42% | $49,500 | |
| Miami University-Hamilton | — | $11,286 | 25% | $55,076 | |
| Ohio State University-Newark Campus | — | $14,767 | 29% | $60,409 |
College Scorecard, latest reported year. “You'd pay” follows your residency and income choices above.
Why the price is different
Central State University would cost you $707 less per year than University of Cincinnati-Clermont College, on average.
- Higher sticker price at Central State University.
- Central State University gives aided families $3,471 more in grants, on average.
| Per year, Ohio resident | Central State University | University of Cincinnati-Clermont College | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sticker price | $21,929 | $19,165 | +$2,764 |
| Average grants | −$8,833 | −$5,362 | −$3,471 |
| You pay | $13,096 | $13,803 | −$707 |
“+” means Central State University costs more; “−” means it costs less. Grants are the sticker price minus the net price. Cost items: IPEDS, on-campus budget. Sticker and net price: College Scorecard, latest reported year; the adjustment reconciles the two. Net price is an average for first-time, full-time students receiving federal aid, not a quote.
Common questions about Central State University
What is the Central State University acceptance rate?
Central State University accepts 99% of applicants (College Scorecard). In the latest IPEDS admissions year, 1,514 of 3,291 applicants were admitted.
How much does Central State University cost per year?
The sticker price (cost of attendance) is $21,929 a year for in-state students. After grants and scholarships, students receiving federal aid pay $13,096 a year on average; families earning $0–30k pay $19,581 and families earning $110k+ pay $10,187.
How much do Central State University graduates earn?
Former Central State University students earn a median $33,267 ten years after starting college, compared with a U.S. median of $53,263 across the colleges we cover.
What is the Central State University graduation rate?
23% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 56% return for their second year.
Is Central State University the right fit for your family?
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Sources on this page: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS; U.S. Census Bureau (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS, Employment Projections); Bureau of Economic Analysis; HUD; NOAA; FEMA; Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By); Wikidata. “Colleges we cover” means colleges awarding bachelor's degrees to at least 100 undergraduates. Averages are not quotes; confirm costs with the school. How we score
Data: download this school's data (JSON) · Markdown · all datasets
Cite this: “Central State University: cost, admissions and outcomes,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/central-state-university (College Scorecard and IPEDS data).